Method of assigning a communication

ABSTRACT

A method of processing data of communications through a communication network. The method includes: receiving first data relating to a first communication between a first and a second electronic device respectively associated with a first and a second connection identifier, the first data including a generic connection identifier associated with the first connection identifier and used for the first communication; storing at least the first connection identifier associated with the generic connection identifier and the second connection identifier used for the first communication; receiving second data relating to a second communication; searching through the second data for the first or the second stored connection identifier; and according to the result of the search, associating the second communication with the first and second connection identifiers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application claims priority to and the benefit of French PatentApplication No. FR 1759142, filed Sep. 29, 2017, the content of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to the establishment of a communicationfrom a first communication device destined for a second communicationdevice, the first and second communication devices each having inparticular a main call identifier. It relates more particularly tocommunication services that guarantee the anonymity of a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Communication services that guarantee the anonymity of a user, inparticular the calling user, currently propose allocating a secondarycall identifier to the terminal of the calling user already having amain call identifier. For example, in the case where the calling userhas a mobile communication terminal, the main call identifier is anMSISDN (in English “Mobile Station International Subscriber DirectoryNumber”) corresponding in a unique manner to the SIM (in English“Subscriber Identity Module”) card which is provided by the operator ofthe mobile network with which the user is registered. As a general rule,this identifier is the telephone number of the mobile terminal in thesaid mobile network.

These communication services are for example offered to companies orfirms wishing to benefit from alias services. Thus, when a companyemployee calls his clients via an alias service, it is a secondary callidentifier, also called an alias number, that is presented to hisclients, and not their main call identifier or “actual” number.Moreover, an alias number may be shared by several of the company'semployees, and a company may have several alias numbers.

When a client calls a company's alias number, the actual telephonenumber of the employee with whom the client will be connected is notdisclosed. Alternatively, when an employee calls a client, the calltravels via an alias services platform, also called an anonymizationplatform, which will modify the parameters of calls so as to present analias number to the client.

However, when the client wishes to call back their previousinterlocutor, he possesses only an alias number of the company. Althoughone of the advantages of the anonymization method allows companies tomanage a system for assigning their incoming calls, also called“routing”, and/or to not be the target of unwanted callbacks, there arecases of use where the company may choose to preserve a linkup betweentwo interlocutors: a client and one of their employees.

SUMMARY

According to a first functional aspect, there is proposed a method ofprocessing data of communications through a communication network,comprising:

-   -   receiving first data relating to a first communication between a        first and a second electronic device respectively associated        with a first and a second connection identifier, the first data        comprising a generic connection identifier associated with the        first connection identifier and used for the first        communication,    -   storing at least the first connection identifier associated with        the generic connection identifier, and the second connection        identifier used for the first communication,    -   receiving second data relating to a second communication,    -   searching through the second data for the first or the second        stored connection identifier, and    -   according to the result of the search, associating the second        communication with the first and second connection identifiers.

The communications data processing method described here allows acompany possessing a communication system integrating an alias serviceto improve the satisfaction of its clients by identifying the latter'sprevious internal interlocutors so as to redirect an incomingcommunication directly to one of the previous interlocutors of a client,while safeguarding a major advantage of the alias service: the actualnumbers of the company's internal communication devices are notcommunicated.

Thus, the communications data processing method described here affordsthe advantage of integrating into a company's communication system(which company may for example be a call centre) new services on thebasis of a log of the calls or communications (SMS/messages) so as toassign, if necessary, an incoming call/an incoming communication of aclient to an employee previously associated with this client.

Generally, this association between an employee and a client may beestablished automatically, for example after a call, or manually, forexample by an entry in a contacts directory associated with thisemployee. A manager of the company's telephone system may also associatetelephone numbers of clients of the company, with MSISDN identifiers ofemployees.

According to one embodiment, the first connection identifier is alsodispatched according to the result of the search.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to assign an incomingcommunication towards a given employee, by transmitting for example tothe communication system of the company, the information necessary forthis assignment; in particular the employee's “actual” number. By“assign” a communication is meant an information transmission allowingdirection/redirection of a communication, or else direction/redirectionof a communication in the guise of such through a computerized system.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with that preceding, the firstcommunication is performed to the generic connection identifier.

Advantageously, this embodiment allows a client to be connected directlywith the employee with whom he had previously been in contact. An aliasnumber may be either an already existing number, or a number created forthe implementation of this invention.

According to one embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, a time periodbetween the first and the second communication is also associated withthe second communication according to the result of the search.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to assign an incomingcommunication, only in the case where the first communication (forexample, the start or the end of the latter) has been performed for lessthan N minutes (N being parametrizable) before the second communication.Thus, the possibility of callback by a client is limited in time, forexample with the aim of safeguarding the employees from unwanted calls.

According to one embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, the genericconnection identifier is also stored, searched for, and associated withthe second communication according to the result of the search.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to associate acommunication between two interlocutors with a generic connectionidentifier, so as, for example, to contextualize a log of thecommunications between these two interlocutors.

According to one embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, a communication typeis also stored, searched for, and associated with the secondcommunication according to the result of the search.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to associate acommunication between two interlocutors with a communication type (callor SMS), so as, for example, to suggest to the employee a communicationtype as communication type preferred by his interlocutor.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, the second datarelating to the second communication are stored.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to supply acommunications log, in particular that the establishment of this secondcommunication is or is not performed.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, if a communicationis an established telephone call, data relating to establishment arestored.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to supply a log of thecalls according to the established calls. By establishment of atelephone call is meant actual connection between the sender and thereceiver. For example, an employee having responded to one or more callsfrom a client, the rules of assignment of the communications of thecompany may limit the number of callbacks of this client to thisemployee.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, if a communicationis a non-established telephone call, data relating to non-establishmentare stored.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to supply a log of thecalls according to the non-established calls. For example, the employeenot having responded to the call or to several calls from a client, thecompany's communications assignment rules may limit the number ofnon-established calls so as to apply a redirection of the followingcalls to a voice messaging facility.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, the firstcommunication is performed by an anonymized sender.

Advantageously, this embodiment allows an employee of a company to calla client on the basis of an alias number, and to be called back by theclient later without having communicated his actual number.

According to another embodiment, which will be able to be implementedalternatively or cumulatively with those preceding, the secondcommunication is a message.

Advantageously, this embodiment makes it possible to adapt the methoddescribed here to a communication type other than the telephone call,for example a communication of SMS type. Thus, a communication's loggroups together the connection identifiers arising from telephone callsas well as from messages.

The invention also comprises a computer program able to be implementedon a server for processing communications data comprising codeinstructions which, when it is executed by a processor, carries out themethod of processing communications data.

The invention also comprises a data medium on which at least one seriesof program code instructions for the execution of the method ofprocessing communications data has been stored.

According to a hardware aspect, there is proposed a server forprocessing data of communications, able to process data ofcommunications through a communication network, a method ofanonymization of connection identifier of electronic devices beingimplemented through an anonymization platform, the server comprising adatabase and an application module comprising:

-   -   a communication module able to receive and to dispatch data        relating to communications between a first and a second        electronic device respectively associated with a first and a        second connection identifier, a generic connection identifier        being associated with the first connection identifier,    -   a storage module able to store in a database, called a        communications log, at least the first connection identifier        associated with the generic connection identifier of a        communication, and the second connection identifier,    -   a search module able to search the database for the stored first        or second connection identifier of a communication, and    -   an association module able to associate with a communication,        the first and the second connection identifiers.

By integration of the method of the invention, the communications dataprocessing server allows in particular a company to assign to anincoming communication, an internal interlocutor designated according toa communications log.

An operational implementation of the communications data processingserver described here is intended to enrich the anonymization platformof a company by providing this company's communication system with newfunctionalities, in particular for voice services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will be better understood onreading the description which follows, given by way of example and withreference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary implementation of the method heredescribed.

FIG. 2 illustrates the principal steps of implementation of the methodduring step A1.

FIG. 3 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step A1 ofimplementation of the method.

FIG. 4 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step B1 ofimplementation of the method in case of establishment of acommunication.

FIG. 5 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step B1 ofimplementation of the method in case of non-establishment of acommunication.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second exemplary implementation of the method heredescribed.

FIG. 7 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step A2 ofimplementation of the method.

FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b illustrate an environment of implementation of thecommunications data processing method here presented, for example in thecase of an SMS dispatched by a client.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

In the description detailed hereinafter in exemplary embodiments of theinvention, numerous specific details are presented so as to afford amore complete understanding. Nonetheless, the person skilled in the artmay appreciate that embodiments may be put into practice without thesespecific details. In other cases, well-known characteristics are notdescribed in detail to avoid needlessly complicating the description.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary implementation of the method heredescribed. A company PART uses the services of an anonymization platform(also called an alias services platform) and referenced PA, allowing forexample an employee of this company to send a call from a telephonedevice referenced DC_U_PART, to a telephone device of a client U,referenced DC_U. This anonymization platform may be located within acommunication architecture of the company, or else be used in SaaS(“Software as a Service” in English) mode by the company.

In one embodiment, the call made by the employee from a fixed telephoneof the company, is forwarded to a communication platform, referenced PC,associated with an internal communication network RES_PART of thecompany. This communication platform interacts with the anonymizationplatform which anonymizes the connection identifier of the deviceDC_U_PART by replacing it with a generic connection identifier ID_PART.

Alternatively, if the call is made by the employee from a mobiletelephone, the call is forwarded directly from a network, for example anMSISDN network, to the anonymization platform, without passing through acommunication network internal to the company.

The establishment of the call continues thereafter to the recipient ofthe call, the client U identifies the call through the genericconnection identifier ID_PART: if the client takes the call, aconnection between the employee and the client is performed.

Hereinafter, the connection identifiers associated with thecommunication devices DC_U_PART and DC_U are referenced respectivelyID_DC_U_PART and ID_DC_U.

The method presented here is for example implemented in a server S_ANcomprising an application module referenced AN and a database referencedDB, called a communication's (incoming and/or outgoing) log. This serverS_AN interacts with the anonymization platform PA. Alternatively, theapplication module AN is implemented directly within the anonymizationplatform PA. This server S_AN may be located within a communicationarchitecture of the company, or else be used in SaaS (“Software as aService” in English) mode by the client company of the invention.Alternatively, an incoming or outgoing call may be forwarded directlyfrom a network, for example an MSISDN network, to the server S_AN.

In one embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1, a client U contacts the companyPART by keying in a generic connection identifier of this company, a4-digit number for example, with the aim of signalling a malfunction ofa product or service. In certain cases, this number may have beenassociated with actual connection identifiers of the company. On receiptof the call via the external communication network RES, thecommunication platform PC directs the call according to the rules ofassignment of the communications defined by the company, for example toan employee in particular. In a particular embodiment, the communicationplatform PC performs an enquiry beforehand to the alias platform PA (a).

The parameters of the call are saved in a communications log referencedDB, integrated for example into the server S_AN; in particular, theconnection identifier ID_DC_U of the sender, the connection identifierID_DC_U_PART of the recipient, and the time of the call. Alternatively,the alias number used is also stored (c). In a particular embodiment, astep of storing information is performed later once the communicationhas or has not been established, so as to save this informationregarding establishment or non-establishment (b).

In a first step denoted A1, the client U is therefore directed to anemployee, the method implemented in the server S_AN storescharacteristics of this first call. In a second step B1, the client Ucalls back a few minutes later, for example to request an additionalparticular: the communication platform PC recovers the informationregarding assignment of the communication from the server S_AN, and theclient is directed again to the same employee.

Alternatively, the alias number is also stored during step A1, and thenrecovered during a step B1. More precisely, during the second step B1,the method receives characteristics of the second call, searches thedatabase DB for the connection identifier of the client U, associatesthis connection identifier with the first communication, and dispatchesthe connection identifier of the employee ID_DC_U_PART to thecommunication platform PC so as to allow the establishment of a callbetween the devices DC_U and DC_U_PART.

In a particular embodiment, the value of the time period between thefirst step A1 and the second step B1 makes it possible to track theassignment of the communication towards the device DC_U_PART. Forexample, if more than an hour has elapsed between the two steps A1 andB1, the method might not dispatch the identifier ID_DC_U_PART to thecommunication platform PC and/or the alias platform PA, or else dispatchthe identifier ID_DC_U_PART with the value of this time period.

In a particular embodiment, the method also searches for the aliasnumber used so as to filter its search; indeed, in the case where thecompany uses several alias numbers, it may be preferable to integratethis information item with the communications assignment rules.

FIG. 2 illustrates the main steps of implementation of the method duringstep A1; these steps are referenced 201 to 207.

The device DC_U connects to the device DC_U_PART via the communicationplatform of the company PART which uses services of the server S_AN. Thefollowing steps are performed in parallel or successively: the sequenceof exchanges performed will be detailed in FIG. 3.

At 201 and 202, S_AN receives a notification of initialization of thecall of the client U to the company PART and stores data in the log ofthe calls. At 203, the call is forwarded to the communication platformof the company PART via the company's network RES_PART. The server S_ANis notified of the incoming call in step 204. At 205, the method storesin the log of the calls the connection identifier ID_DC_U and receivesthe connection identifier IDU_PART of the communication platform of thecompany PART. At 206, the client U is placed on hold, for example,through a welcome message. At 207, the call is directed to the employeeof the company PART, and the communication is established between thetwo devices DC_U_PART and DC_U. Alternatively, the incoming calls arereceived directly by the server S_AN, and the application module ANdetermines the assignment of the call; in particular in the case wherean MSISDN network is used.

FIG. 3 illustrates by a chart exchanges performed during step A1 ofimplementation of the method.

In this embodiment illustrated by the scheme PROT_1, the server S_ANimplementing the method integrates a communication interface of SOAP(Simple Object Access Protocol) type referenced SOAP_L, an HTTP clientapplication, a client application SOAP_C, a client application Ospecific to the application module AN, and a database DB. Alternatively,the exchanges may for example be executed according to an architectureof REST (“Representational State Transfer” in English) type.

When an incoming call arrives at the company PART during a step ET01,the communication interface SOAP_L and the client application O receivethe notification of this incoming call in a step ET02. In a stepET03_1_4, the client application O guides the storage of the connectionidentifier of the incoming call in the database DB. Alternatively, thetime of the call and the alias number used are also stored.

In a step ET04_1, the client U is directed to an employee of the companyPART.

In a step ET05_1, the server S_AN receives the information about theestablishment of the call. The devices DC_U and DC_U_PART are connected.

A set of steps (referenced SESS_ET01 to SESS_ET05) of a sessionreferenced SESS are carried out between ET03_1_4 and ET04_1 and describea series of dispatches of information and of enquiries between theinternal communication platform PC and the alias services platform PA,with the server S_AN, thus allowing updating of the information betweenthe communication platform of the company PART and the service S_AN.Hereinafter, the platform PC, the platform PA, or the set groupingtogether the two platforms PC and PA, are interchangeably called theplatform of the company PART.

More precisely, a “push” notification is performed through SESS_ET01from the client application O to the platform of the company PART andthe client application SOAP_C, an enquiry SESS_ET02 is launched by theplatform of the company towards the HTTP client to obtain the languageused for the enquiries in respect of the voice (VXML) and thereafter totransfer a voice message to the device DC_U by SESS_ET04. An enquirySESS_ET03 is launched by the HTTP client towards the database DB tostore or recover information, a push notification is performed throughSESS_ET05 so that the server S_AN is notified of the information updatedby the platform of the company PART. Hereinafter, the above steps arereferenced by SESS, and will not be recalled.

The enquiries to the database DB are performed as a function of theservice and/or of the context. These enquiries may be the number ofcalls received over a time period, the number of calls performed over atime period, the mean time of the calls received over a time period, themean time of the calls performed over a time period, the number ofdistinct contacts for the incoming calls over a time period, the numberof valid contexts over a time period, the time of valid contexts over atime period, etc.

In an industrial application of a service implementing the method heredescribed, the association between an alias number ID_PART and an actualnumber of an employee ID_DC_U_PART relating to the electronic deviceDC_U_PART is called a “context”: in an exemplary implementation, themethod obtains the log of the calls for a given alias number through theenquiry GET/contexts/{contextId}/calls.

In a particular embodiment, a connection identifier may be associatedwith a whitelist, for example only if it is a valid telephone number, ifthe prefix of the country is accepted by the service (“aliasingcountries whitelist” in English), and if it is not an alias number.Likewise, a connection identifier may be associated with a list ofpreferred contacts, for example associated also with a given aliasnumber.

FIG. 4 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step B1 ofimplementation of the method in case of establishment of acommunication.

In one embodiment illustrated by the scheme PROT_2, the employee willconsent to take the call of the client U during step B1.

Recall that steps SESS_ET01 to SESS_ET05 of the set SESS are identicalto the scheme PROT_1 of FIG. 3.

In a step ET03_2_3, the client application O recovers from thecommunications log, the connection identifier of the recipient of thecall. The client application O calls the communication platform of thecompany PART so as to perform a confirmation protocol through the HTTPclient of the server S_AN: a push notification ET04_2_3, an enquiryET05_2_3 to the HTTP client, and then an enquiry ET06_2_3 by the HTTPclient.

In a step ET07_2, the employee called receives a notification of thecall, and the information item relating to this notification in a stepET08_2_3, among other things by the client application O of the serverS_AN.

In a step ET09_2, the employee accepts the call for example by pressingthe “*” key of the telephone, and the communication platform of thecompany dispatches the information item relating to this acceptance in astep ET10_2 to the client application O of the server S_AN. In a stepET11_2, the establishment of a communication with the employee isrequested of the platform of the company by the client application O;which the former performs by dispatching a push notification ET12_2 tothe device DC_U_PART. In a step ET13_2, the client is notified of theconnection, and in a step ET14_2_3 the server S_AN receives theinformation of this notification. The two communication devices areconnected.

The above steps describe a series of dispatches of information and ofenquiries between the communication platform of the company and theserver implementing the method here described, allowing an update of theinformation between the communication platform of the company PART andthe server S_AN.

FIG. 5 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step B1 ofimplementation of the method in case of non-establishment of acommunication.

In one embodiment illustrated by the scheme PROT_3, the employee doesnot take the call.

Recall that steps SESS_ET01 to SESS_ET05 of the session SESS areidentical to the scheme PROT_1 of FIG. 3.

The steps ET04_2_3 to ET08_2_3 are identical to the scheme PROT_2 ofFIG. 4.

In a step ET09_3 the called party does not press the “*” key of thetelephone, and the communication platform of the company dispatches thisinformation item in a step ET10_3, in particular to the clientapplication O of the server S_AN. In a step ET11_3, the establishment ofa communication with a device relating to voice messaging (notillustrated) is requested of the platform of the company PART by theclient application O; the former by dispatching a push notificationET12_3 notifies the server S_AN, and performs by a step ET13_3 anotification to the device DC_U of connection with the device relatingto voice messaging. In a step ET14_2_3, the server S_AN receivesinformation of this notification.

The two communication devices are connected. FIG. 6 illustrates a secondexemplary implementation of the method here described.

In this embodiment, an employee of the company PART calls a client Ufrom a fixed telephone of the company, the call being performed via theanonymization platform PA (a). The parameters of the call are saved inthe database DB integrated into the communications data processingserver S_AN; in particular the identifier ID_DC_U_PART of the sender,the identifier ID_DC_U of the recipient, the company's genericconnection identifier used, and the time of the call.

In a particular embodiment, a step of information storage is performedlater once the communication has or has not been established, so as tosave the information about the establishment or the non-establishment ofthe call (b).

In a first step denoted A2, the employee calls the client, the methodimplemented in the server S_AN stores the characteristics of this firstcall. In a second step B2, the client calls back a few minutes later,for example to request an additional particular, the method receivescharacteristics of this second call, searches the communications log DB,and retrieves the connection identifier of the employee ID_DC_U_PART.Step B2 is identical to step B1 of FIG. 1. Alternatively, the aliasnumber is also stored, and then searched for.

FIG. 7 illustrates by a chart the exchanges performed during step A2 ofimplementation of the method.

During an outgoing call in a step ET01_4, the communication interfaceSOAP_L and the client application O receive the notification of thisoutgoing call in a step ET02_4. In a step ET03_1_4, the clientapplication O directs the storage in the communications log of theconnection identifiers of the outgoing call and of the client.Alternatively the time of the call and the alias number used are alsostored.

In a step ET04_4, the platform of the company PART connects to thedevice DC_U, and in a step ET_05_4 notifies the device of the employee.

In a step ET06_4, the communication platform of the company dispatchesto the server S_AN information about this notification. The devicesDC_U_PART and DC_U are connected.

FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b illustrate an environment of implementation of thecommunications data processing method here presented, for example in thecase of an SMS message dispatched by a client.

In the general implementation scheme of FIG. 8a , through a system usingsoftware referenced K, for example the Kannel software, and through theHTTP enquiries to the server S_AN, the method here described allows theassignment of communications of, and by, SMS.

The server S_AN dispatches push notifications to the mobile applicationsinstalled in the device DC_U_PART in the following cases: reception of anew SMS (stored in the database while waiting to be searched for), amissed call or a new message in the inbox.

In one embodiment described in FIG. 8b , at 801, the client dispatchesan SMS with their device DC_U, to the company's alias number. At 802,the SMS is directed through the network RES and the client platform SMSCto a communication interface of SMS type installed in the server S_AN.At 803, this SMS interface transfers the SMS to the server S_AN by usingan HTTP enquiry. At 804, the employee is retrieved through a search inthe communications log, and the SMS is stored. At 805, a notification ofthe SMS is dispatched to DC_U_PART. At 806, the device DC_U_PARTaccesses the SMS by calling upon an API. At 806 b is, if the SMS remainsin the database for more than N min (N is parametrizable), it isautomatically dispatched to DC_U_PART via a service XMS_PART, an XMS(“eXtended Messaging Service” in English) service allowing the exchangeof SMS messages.

In the present text, the devices or modules may be implemented insoftware form, in which case it takes the form of a program executableby a processor, or in hardware form, such as an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SOC), or in the form of acombination of hardware elements and applications, such as for examplean application program intended to be loaded and executed on a componentof FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) type.

Although the embodiments described above are so within the non-limitingframework of communications between a company and its clients, that isto say in the B2C (from the English “Business-to-Consumer”) context, theperson skilled in the art will understand that the present invention isnot limited to this context, which serves only as support to illustrateits implementation according to one or more embodiments, and that thepresent invention is also applicable and may be implemented according tovarious embodiments in other contexts, such as for example that of B2B(from the English “Business-to-Business”), or in a private or familycontext. The proposed method thus presents the advantage, in the contextof family usage, in which a family composed of several members uses aunique number, for example a unique fixed number, of preventing themembers of the family, in particular the children, from having todisclose their personal telephone number (typically their mobiletelephone number) to people outside the family, such as, for example,craftspersons (plumbers, repairers, etc.) or other professionals(delivery persons, etc.) obliged to be in telephone contact with thefamily, someone from the family using the family's unique number to callthem, while being able to be reached directly in case the other partyshould call back. Indeed, despite the person outside the family nothaving had knowledge of the family's unique number and not of thepersonal number of the person of the family who called them, theproposed method allows, when there is a callback from the outside partyto the family's unique number, the call to be directed to the person ofthe family who made the first call to the outside party. For example,when a member of a group corresponding to a family calls a telephonenumber or a telephone identifier other than those of the elements of thegroup (in this example of the family), the outgoing call will be able tobe presented to the called party with a unique number used as alias bythe members of the group. The proposed method allows, when there is acallback from the other party to the unique number, the call to bedirected to the member of the group who made the first outgoing call,and not to another member of the group. The person skilled in the artwill furthermore understand that the present invention is not limited tothis family context, which will be able to be generalized for theimplementation of the present invention according to one or moreembodiments to any group of users or of machines using a unique numberas alias to be presented when there is a call from a person or a machinehaving a number other than the call numbers of the elements of thegroup, so as for example to allow a callback to the alias number to bedirected to the number or the identifier of the person or of the machinethat made the first call.

One or more exemplary embodiments of the invention affords a solutionnot exhibiting the drawbacks of the prior art.

Although described through a certain number of detailed exemplaryembodiments, the proposed method and the object for the implementationof the method comprise diverse variants, modifications and enhancementswhich will be apparent in an obvious manner to the person skilled in theart, it being understood that these diverse variants, modifications andenhancements form part of the scope of the invention, such as defined bythe claims which follow. Moreover, various aspects and characteristicsdescribed hereinabove may be implemented together, or separately, orelse substituted for one another, and together the various combinationsand sub-combinations of the aspects and characteristics form part of thescope of the invention such as defined by the claims hereinafter.Furthermore, it may be that certain devices and objects describedhereinabove do not incorporate the totality of the modules and functionsdescribed for the preferred embodiments.

1. A method of processing data of communications through a communicationnetwork, comprising the following acts performed by a server device:receiving from the communication network first data relating to a firstcommunication between a first and a second electronic devicerespectively associated with a first and a second connection identifier,the first data comprising such second communication identifier and ageneric connection identifier associated with the first connectionidentifier and used for the first communication, storing in anon-transitory computer-readable medium at least the first connectionidentifier associated with the generic connection identifier, and thesecond connection identifier used for the first communication, receivingfrom the communication network second data relating to a secondcommunication, searching through the second data for the first or thesecond stored connection identifier, and according to a result of thesearch, associating the second communication with the first and secondconnection identifiers.
 2. The method of processing data ofcommunications according to claim 1, furthermore comprising dispatchingthe first connection identifier according to the result of the search.3. The method of processing data of communications according to claim 1,for which the first communication is performed to the generic connectionidentifier.
 4. The method of processing data of communications accordingto claim 1, for which a time period between the first and the secondcommunication is also associated with the second communication accordingto the result of the search.
 5. The method of processing data ofcommunications according to claim 1, furthermore comprising storing thegeneric connection identifier, searching for the generic connectionidentifier, and associating the generic connection identifier with thesecond communication according to the result of the search.
 6. Themethod of processing data of communications according to claim 1,furthermore comprising storing a communication type, searching for thecommunication type, and associating the communication type with thesecond communication according to the result of the search.
 7. Themethod of processing data of communications according to claim 1,furthermore comprising storing the second data relating to the secondcommunication.
 8. The method of processing data of communicationsaccording to claim 1, furthermore comprising, if a communication is anestablished telephone call, storing data relating to establishment. 9.The method of processing data of communications according to claim 1,furthermore comprising, if a communication is a non-establishedtelephone call, storing data relating to non-establishment.
 10. Themethod of processing data of communications according to claim 1, forwhich the first communication is performed by an anonymized sender. 11.The method of processing data of communications according to claim 1,for which the second communication is a message.
 12. (canceled)
 13. Anon-transitory computer-readable data medium on which at least oneseries of program code instructions is stored for execution of a methodof processing data of communications through a communication networkwhen the instructions are executed by a processor of a server device,wherein the instructions configure the server device to perform actscomprising: receiving from the communication network first data relatingto a first communication between a first and a second electronic devicerespectively associated with a first and a second connection identifier,the first data comprising such second communication identifier and ageneric connection identifier associated with the first connectionidentifier and used for the first communication, storing in anon-transitory computer-readable medium at least the first connectionidentifier associated with the generic connection identifier, and thesecond connection identifier used for the first communication, receivingfrom the communication network second data relating to a secondcommunication, searching through the second data for the first or thesecond stored connection identifier, and according to a result of thesearch, associating the second communication with the first and secondconnection identifiers.
 14. A server for processing data ofcommunications, able to process data of communications through acommunication network, the server comprising: a processor; and anon-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions storedthereon, which when executed by the processor configure the server toperform acts comprising: receiving and dispatching data relating tocommunications between a first and a second electronic devicerespectively associated with a first and a second connection identifier,such data comprising such second communication identifier and a genericconnection identifier being associated with the first connectionidentifier, storing in a database, called a communications log, at leastthe first connection identifier associated with the generic connectionidentifier of a communication, and the second connection identifier,searching the database for the stored first or second connectionidentifier of a communication, and associating with a communication, thefirst and the second connection identifiers.